The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-15
..lT'S ENGLISH, YOU KNOW"
Rev Joseph Parker Presents His Bill
For Eulogy on the Great Preacher
of Plymouth.

After the death of the great
preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, the
devoted congregation OF Plymouth
church determined that a grand
eulogy should be delivered on their
beloved pastor, and with this in view
the sorrowing members begun to cast
their eyes over the world TO find a
suitable personage to sing the praise
to the dead minister.
Such mau was found in the Rev.
Joseph Parker, of England, q rever-
end lecturer of distinction in the
mother country. who had 3 short
while before signed q contract with
Major Pond, of New York, to make 8
lecturing tour through this country.
The two missions fitted exactly, and
when Rev. Joseph Parker arrived ct
New York he found that his manager
had done good work in the way of
judicious advertising. Extensive ar
rangements had been made for the
memorial service at Plymouth church,
and so great was the demand to hear
the eulogy of the distinguished
foreigner on the celebrated preacher
and scholar, that the seats in the great
tabernacle were sold at high prices,
and the capacity of the auditorium
proved inadequate TO accommodate
the great crowd that sought admis.
sion.
Blu, the eulogy was delivered and
everybody was satisfied. When the
Rev. Joseph Parker left Brooklyn on
his lecturing tour he carrie* with him
the good will of the whole people
and the hearty endorsement of tue
press and public of the city, which
had so feelingly honored the memory
of him who, but a short time before,
was the greatest IN their midst.
But things have changed now, and
Brooklyn wrath is at fever heat. 1t
is said that should she Rev. Joseph
Parker drift back to that vicinity be
would find the place too hot to hold
him. Plymouth church is indignant
in the highest degree, aud both press
and public, which only a few weeks
ago united in Isuding in the most
glorious terms the virtues of the Eng
lish minister, are now engaged in de-
nouncing him in the bitterest manner
possible.
Indeed, Brooklyn is outraged, and
the Rev. Joseph Parker is the cause
of all the disturbance. The trouble
grows out of the development of the
fact that the Rev. Josephs silvery
eloquence and golden words of praise
for the late pastor Of Plymouth
church. was not a labor of love, as
everybody supposed. 1t turns out
that every word of the eulogy WAS
prompted by the hope Of mercenary
gain, and is marred by the metallic
ring Of the almighty dollar. The
Rev, Joseph has sent in his bill and
it amounts to S70G. He states that
$500 Of this is to cover expenses, ard
the other 5000 is his charge for the
address. The expense account was
satisfactory, but it is the 5000 that
rankles in the heart Of the average
Brooklyn citizen. 10 think that
their distinguished dead was eu-
logized at so much a word, and they
sat calmly by and listened to the
merceuary words, and more, that they
applauded and praised the speaker,
is too much for the good people of
Brooklyn.
Major Pond says: "All this talk
about sentiments rhetorical rubbish !;
that Dr.. Parker's eulogy was purely
business matter and as such he ought
to be paid for it."
The Rev. Joseph's American trip
was evidently in pursuit Of sordid
gold. Before the recent tumble ever
the Beecher eulogy, be wrote to the
editor of the Chicago Herald that he
would Immediately on his return to
England, seek an interview with Mr..
Gladstone on American matters.
This he would offer to only three
American dailies, one Of which was
the Herald, the answer of which he
solicited to his proposition. But" p"
concludes the Rev. Joseph, :'there is
no need for an answer unless you
have an offer to make
The Rev. Joseph is now nursing a
bursted boom.